Apparatus for straightening axles and truing the wheels of automobiles



June $1936., v

' M. s. MERRILL APPARATUS FOR STRAIGHTENING; AXLEs AND TRUING THE WHEELS OF AUTOMOBILES Filed Sept. 9, 1929 s Sheets-Sheet 1 so -l2 4 '5 qq' /9 M// AV) nvmvrok. .ZT. MARCELLUS SMERmLL BY WHITE/{40 6 VOG-L.

ATTORNEY.

June 2," 1936; 1M. '5. MERRILL APPARATUS FOR STHAIGHTENING AXLES AND TRUING THE WHEELS OF AUTOMOBILES Filed Sept. 9, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet .2

- INVENTORQ MARcELLUsS. MERRiLL WHITEA/EAD :7 V961,. PM M W ATTORNEY.

June 2, 1936. M. s. MERRILL 2,042,856

APBARATUS FOR swnuen'rmma AXLES AND TRUING THE WHEELS 0F AUTOMOBILES Filed Sept. 9, 1929 s Sheets-Sheet s INVEN TOR. MARCELLUS S. MERRILL A TTORNE Y.

R se 6 b4 Patented June 2, 1936 APPARATUS FOR STRAIGHTENING AXLES AND TRUING THE WHEELS F AUTOMO- BILES Marcellus S. Merrill, Denver, Colo. Application September 9, 1929, Serial No. 391,257

'10 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for straightening axles and truing the wheels of automobiles,

and has for an object to provide a simple, economical and eflicient apparatus for said purpose. A further object is to provide an adjustable vise apparatus whereby an automobile axle may be gripped at-any desired point or points and held rigidly at such point or points, against the exertion of a bending pressure from any direction upon other point or points of the axle. A further object is the provision of an improvedadjustable vise apparatus as above mentioned, in combination with other apparatus for exerting bending pressure or tension upon the axle from any desired direction for straightening the same. w I

A further object, is the provision of an apparatus of the. class described, which may be positioned in any convenient place, but which is of such construction as to be capable, without extemal anchorage, of exerting sufllcient-power in any desired direction upon an automobile axle,

to straighten the same while cold.

With these and other objects in view, all of which will hereinafter more fully appear, the

invention comprises certain novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed,

and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout and in which Figure I is a plan of an embodiment of my invent'on, omitting the Jacks and certain other separableparts.

Figure II is a section taken on line II-JI of Fig.1, but illustrating the apparatus with pressure jacks in use as applied to an axle of an automobile, the automobile wheel being indicated.

Figure III is a detail section on line III-III of Fig. I.

Figure IV is a view on line IVAV of Fig. 1I,.

omitting the plunger.

' Figure V is a detail view, partly in section, of one of the vise members. I

Figure VI is a detail view of mechanism for reversing the central lifting jack, in order to exert down pressure on the. axle.

Figure VII is a side view of Fig. VI.

igure VIII is an illustration of the twisting wrench.

F gure IX is a view substantially the same as Fig. IV but illustrating an embodiment of the invention positioned over a pit to accommodate the illustrated modified form of down pressure" -'andIVwillnowbedescribed.

mechanism, a modified form of the vise trackbeing also illustrated.

Figure X is a detail view on line X-X of'Fig. IX. Figure in is a detail view on line XII-XI of Fi 1x. g s Figure XII is a detail fragmentary view illustrating the use of the twisting wrench with a jack for twisting heavy axles. I Bent axles, and particularly bent front axles, of automobiles now present a serious problem in 10 the automobile repair industry. Under present methods it is frequently, if not generally, necessary to take out the bent axle and heat it, in 'order to straighten it.- The present invention is designed to accomplish the straightening of the '15 axle without heating and without any disassembling of the car-in other words, to straighten the axle while it is in place in the; car and without heat.

The apparatus may. be positioned for use in various ways, as for instance, in a depression or over a pit in a floor, or on standards as illustrated in Figs. I, II, and IV. In this embodiment, the apparatus itself is positioned on standards on any suitable flooring, and being raised somewhat 25 above the floor, runways are provided town the wheels of the automobile up onto the apparatus.

Wherever the apparatus is positioned, any suitable means will be provided for holding it in position, and also any suitable means will be 30 provided for running the car onto the apparatus. The standards upon which the apparatus is posi- 1 tioned in this embodiment and the runways for running the car up onto the apparatus, are simply the natural and obvious incidents of positioning the apparatus above the floor and these incidents are changed and adapted according to the location or position of the apparatus itself, and in a manner which will be obvious to any mechanic. Aside from these incidents, the apparatus is the same in substance, regardless of whether it is positioned above the floor, over a pit, or elsewhere. The embodiment illustratedin Figs. I, II.

and vise On suitable supports as l which may rest upon a floor 2, and may beaflixed thereto as by bolts 3, there is positioned a framework including two I-beams 4,,which, in the present embodiment,

- may be extended and formed into the runways 5, the runways and forward portion of the 1- beams being provided with spacers and bracing rods 6, which, at their ends, may be bolted through the web of the I-beams as at 1.

; The framework is further provided with a plurality of transversemembers attached at their ends to the I-beams t by any suitable means, but preferably, for convenience in some cases, and for added rigidity and stability in other cases, in the manner now described. Forward channel iron 8, vise track members 9 and ill and brace channels it and i2 are preferably welded at their ends to or cast integral with the I-beams, while the rear channel l3 may be attached to the I-beams by means of angle irons and bolts, as clearly indicated at M in Fig. I. The whole framework, including cross members, tracks and braces, may be cast as a unit. The brace formed by channels H and I2 will ordinarily be sufficient but the channel l3 may be added for extra' strength and rigidity where found desirable.

The channels 9 and Eli are set with their webs opposed and spaced apart, as clearly shown in Figs. I, II, V, and VI thus forming a track or run-- way in which the vise members hereinafter described may be wedged and along which said vise members may be moved to any desired positions. In Figs. IX, X, and XI, a modified form of vise track, composed of specially constructed light but rigid members to and ma is illustrated.

The brace channels it and 52 are positioned with their edges contacting and are relatively attached by bolts is, which may be provided with spacing sleeves lb, whereby the channels H and i2, not only brace the I-beams d, but also form a rigid brace for the lateral pressure device hereinafter described.

In the track formed by the members 9 and it, there are positioned a plurality of vise members, shown in detail in Fig. V and in modified form in Figs. IX and X, each comprising a standard il, provided with shoulders I8 adapted to.

rest upon the track, the body of the standard having a stem Ha which projects down through and has a sliding fit between the members 9' and ill of the track and projects to some distance below the track, as indicated at it, the stem being provided with an eye 29, having its bottom slanted, as at 2!, and adapted for the reception of the wedge 22, whereby when the wedge is driven into the eye, the vise standard ll will be rigidly attached to the track.

One side of the standard projects upward and terminates in fixed jaw 23 adapted to receive a removable grip member 25, which may be of any desired size and shape for gripping an axle. The removability of the grip member makes it possible to use a. variety of sizes and shapes of grip members with any vise member, the removability being provided for by forming a suitable recess 25 in the jaw 23 in which recess a co-mating portion 26 of the grip 24 may be inserted, preferably by sliding it thereinto from the side, the method of performing this operation being obvious from the disclosure here made.

The other side of the top of standard -IT is cut away and bifurcated, each leg 23a. of the bifurcation'being provided with eyes as at 21, for the adjustable setting of the movable jaw member 28, which member is provided with a jaw portion 29 similar to the jaw 23 and adapted in the same manner as jaw 23 for carrying another grip member 24. The movable jaw member 28, is provided with an eye adapted to align with any. pair of eyes 21 in the-two legs 23a and, when thus aligned, a pin 30 may beinserted through the pair of eyes 21 and the aligned eye in member 28 thus furnishing a pivotal moun ing acting as a fulcrum for the movable jaw member 28. 'By this structure the jaws may be aoaasse adjusted for different sizes of axles, the extent of the adjustment being governed by the range between the inner and outer pairs of eyes 21 7 combined with the range of movement of the jaw 29. Any desired number of pairs of eyes 27 may be provided in order to increase and refine the adjustability of the movable jaw, but, in practice, it will be found that the two pairs of eyes 2? as indicated, will furnish suificient adjustability for practically all cases and, in fact, the one pair of eyes, namely, the inner pair, will be suificient, except for very large axles.

The movable jaw member 28., fulcrumed as above described, is provided with an arm 3! of suflicient length to furnish the necessary leverage required to rigidly grip "an axle between the grip members 26. Obviously it will be desirable to have the arm 3| considerably longer than the portion of the jaw member 28 above the pin 30, 20

in order to furnish suitable leverage.

The arm 3| is provided at its lower end with a lever operating means, which may, for con-- venience, efficiency and simplicity, be constructed by bifurcating the lower end of the arm 3| and providing a threaded pivotal mounting for said means as for example, by pivotally mounting therein a threaded sleeve 32, the mounting being indicated at 33 and the sleeve carrying the operating means in the form of a screw 34, a socket 35 being provided in the standard I! for the reception and bearing of the end of the screw whereby, when the movable jaw member 28 is in operative position, the screw may be turned for forcing the lower end of the arm 3! outwardly, thus causing the grip members 24 to close upon and grip an axle 36 of an automobile, as clearly illustrated in Figs. II, IV, and IX. The screw 36 obviously maintains the grip upon the axle.

A slot 3? may be provided in the standard I! for the reception of the end of screw .3 3 when the axle is released from the grip and the arm 3i is dropped against the standard l1, this p0sltion being illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. V.

The balance of the apparatus and'the modifications thereof can bemore easily and clearly described as a part of and subsequent to'the descriptlon of its operation.

Take for example a horizontal bend, either forward or backward, in an axle. The operation of the apparatus to remove this bend and straighten the axle would be as follows:

First the car is run up the runway 5 onto the track formed by the top of I-beams 4 until the front-axle is at a point directly over the wheeled truck 38, in position shown in Fig. I, which truck is adapted to roll back and forth on the tracks 39, which may be formed of angle irons and which. are laid on and transversely of the vise track 9-H! and which lie upon the vise track and upon the forward channel iron 8. The truck 38 carries a hydraulic jack #0 which is then operated to lift the front axle to a height slightly. above the top of the vise members whereupon the car is rolled forward, the front of the car being carried by the jack and on the truck 38, rolling on the track 39 until the axle is directly above the jaws of the vise members. The vise members are then adjusted along the vise track' to the points at which it is desired to hold the axle rigid against the bending pressure to be applied, as later de scribed, and are there fixed by the wedges 22. Thereupon the jack 40 is operated to lower the axle into the jaws of the vise members. The screws 34 are then operated, causing the jaws of ,II and partially and in detail 42, which span-ass the vises to grip the axle. Truck ll; tracks a and lack ll may then be removed if desired, as for example, if while in position above indicated, they interfere with the axle-straightening operation. Lateral pressure is then applied to the axle by means of the device clearly shown in Fig. in Figs. I and III respectively and which will now be described.

This lateral pressure device consists of a trough or shell 4i formed integral or rigid with a base base in turn carries a rib 43 for slidingly engaging the forward edge of the brace channel ii, so that the device may slide therealong to and rest thereupon at any desired position. Yokes 44 are provided in the upper portion of the shell or trough ll within which yokes there is slidably mounted a plunger 46 of sumcient length'so that its forward end will contact with an axle gripped by the vise members while its other end lies within the yokes u.

The hydraulic Jack 0 is positioned in the trough or shell 41 with its base 41 resting against the base I! of the trough and its presser foot 48 resting against the inner end of the plunger 45, whereby when the forward end of the plunger 45 is placed in engagement with the axle of the car and the jack is operated, the pressure of the Jack will be exerted. through the plgngenon the axle, the device being braced against; the brace channels II and I! above described.

For extra strength and rigidity to withstand this lateral pressure and also-for limiting the upward movement of the lsteralpressure apparatus there my be provided the rear channel It and a device consisting of aplate 69 adapted to slidingly rest on said channel 13, also a member 50' adapted to slidingly the brace formed by the channels II and I! and 49 and the member It togetherso that they may be slid along and between the channel It and the brace H-l2, to any desired position as a single member. ,Plate 4| and member 50 may be formed integral if d lt is obvious that by placing the member H. o of the trough, when the la is. operated, the member 49-!!! will, by pressure against the rear channel It, serve to prevent the ing of the brace lll2;and., a added strength and rigidity for i'tli'e'base of the lateral pressure apparatus. be set at any desired point so as to'have its head contact with the base 42 when the plunger 45 and the shell 4| havebeen raised to the desired point for contact with the axle. thus serves as an adjustablestop for the base 42, as clearly illustrated at HgJI.

By means of the above described apparatus. lateral pressure may be applied to the axle at any desired point and the brace "-42 may be strengthened when necessary by the provision of the rear channel l3 and the member 49-50.

New assuming that the bend in the axle is a vertical, or up and down bend, the axle 'is positioned in the vises in the will be noted that the Zracks' 39 may be removed and the Jack may hen be based upon the vise track at any desired point beneath the axle, either between the vises or outside of them, as may be necessary in order to bring the rigid grippingof the axle by sitethebasefl' furnish Ihe; screw I! may the vises and the upward pressure of the jack 40 in the desired relative positions according to the needs of each case. If downward pressure is required on the having a shank the members 8 54 adapted for sliding fit between and ill of the vise track and having shoulders 55 for resting upon said track. The

shank 54 projects below the track and has an eye 56 with a slanted bottom 51 adapted to receive a wedge 58, all of which last described construction is similar to the construction of the trackengaging portion of the vise members hereinabove described as parts. It to 22 both inclusive.

The jack frame 53 is positioned and wedged into the track at the point immediately below the point in the axle which is desired to be pressed downward. The jack 0 is positioned in the frame, upside down, the base of the jack resting against the top 580 of the frame, suitable lugs 59 being provided for holding the jack in posig tion within the frame. A chain tll'is then passed over the axle 36 at the point at which downward pressure is desired and the chain is looped around the presser foot 40a of the jack, whereupon the jack is operated so that the presser foot will move downward and exert a downward pull on the chain 60, thereby exerting the downward pressure on. the axle 3t.

Should there be a twistin the axle, it will be gripped by the vises at the desired points for holding desired portions of the axle rigid while twisting force is being applied to other portions thereof. The twisting wrench illustrated in Fig. VIII is thereupon applied to the portion of the axle desired to be twisted. The wrench has handle 6|. which may be integral with the wrench but is preferably separate and provided with a recess 82 therein for the reception of the shank 63 of a wrench having Jaws 84 adapted to grip the axle. It will be understood that there may be a plurality of wrenches having Jaws of various shapes to grip axles of various shapes, all of such wrenches (where not integral with the handle) having shank it of form adapted to fit in the rece'ss 82 of the handle 6|, which handle is of sumcient length to give the necessary leverage for twisting the axle.

exerted upon the wrench for twisting the axle.

' A modified form of apparatus for exerting downward pressure at any desired point on the axle is shown in Figs. IX and X and this apparatus .comprises an I-beam 85 having a lugged cross-piece It at the top thereof and being of a length suitably in excess of the distance from the jaws of the vises to the bottom of the vise track l lil and being of size to permit easy insertion and movement between the members 9 and I 0 of the track. The channels of the I-bsam 65 throughout the lower portion of the I-beam are filled and the I-beam is strengthened by inserts 61, welded or otherwise suitably fastened therein. The web and inserts are provided with suitable holes 88. v

provided having cross 70a for bracing the g and it. These cross-pieces are preferably made of a. width less than the'space between the members 9 and ID of the track so that when I-beam 88 is turnedsideways it may be dropped between the said members. The lower end of I-beam 69 is provided with inserts axle a jack frame 53 is provided ll similar to the inserts El, and I=beam 65.

channel members '82 i channels i2 and lit are a cent the I-beam 65,

Suband it are pivotally attached to the I-beam 59 as by pin iii and said likewise pivotally attached to I-beam at by pin '35 inserted through any of the holes 88. The channels l2 and it are provided with a plurality of holes for the accommodation of pin it and "it, as clearly shown in Fig. IX.

In operation, looped chain it is passed over'the axle 36 and caught under the ends of the lugged,

cross-piece 56, as clearly shown at Fig. X. This chain is placed over the axle at the point where down pressure thereon is desired. The depending I-beam t? is supported channel members l2 and E3 are pinned to the I- beam 65 through any one of the holes 68 in the I-beam, according to the distance desired between the bottom of the vise track and the top of the sub-channels l2 and 13. sub-channels l2 and '73 which can be most conveniently brought directly beneath the point where down pressure is desired upon the axle, are used for pinning the sub-channels l2 and B3 to the I-beam 65. The I-beam $9 is suspended by cross-piece it at any convenient'point along the vise track and sub-channels l2 and 13 are pinnod to the lower end thereof by the pin It. The I-beam 69 is preferably placed at the point where it will suitably support the ends of the sub-channels l2 and i3 which extend the farthest to the one side or the other of the I-beam 55, so that the sub-channels will be suitably hung upon the v Hydraulic jack ill is then I-beams 55 and 6S. placed between the bottom of the vise track and he top of the sub-channels l2 and it and adjaso that when said jack is operatedjbeing braced against the lower side of the vise track, it will exert a downward pressure on sub-channels 12 down the I-beam 65,-which through the chain 16 will exert downward pressure on theaxle 36 at the desiredpoint. The subhannels l2 and I3 are thus formed into a lever with the pin it as the fulcrum. -When jack ll is placed outside I-beam li as illustrated in Fig. IX, cross-piece 70a holds I-beam 69 against upward movement. When the jack TI is between the I=beams 65 and 69, crosspiece holds I-beam 69 against downward movement. From the'foregoing, it will be evident that the inserts 61 and H play an important part in strengthening the portions of the I-beams-65 and 69 at the point of bearing of the pins and 15'.

respectively, thus preventing ripping of the webs of the I-beams by the pins 75 and I l. The inserts 61 and II also serve to give comparatively extensive and smooth bearing surface between subchannels 12 and 13 and the I-beams 65 and 69*.

In Figs. IX and X there is also illustrated a modified form of vise track members indicated at 9a and Illa, the same being a modified or double channel memberin -which additional rigidity and strength are provided by the double web 18 and comparative lightness is maintained by cutting away portions of the webs of the chan nels as at I9.

In view of the fact that this last described construction of the track members is not standard or stocl material and requires special construction, 'it' is found desirable while constructingthese members, to provide thereon ribs 80 and in such case it is also found desirable to provide on the shoulders l8, ribs 8i for o erlapping and slidably engaging the ribs 80 whereby the vise member is given a more rigid seating in the track by the chain l6. Sub- The pair of holes in and i3 and will thus pull and the apparatus is strengthened. It will be obvious that pressure on the vise in either direction will be opposed by both of the track members at the same time by reason of the interengagement of the ribs 80 and iii in combination with the mounting of the body of the vise members between the track members.

The modified form of vise track above described, and as illustrated particularly in Figs. X and XE, furnishes additional bearing and bracing surface where the'feet 82, rest on the rib of the I-beams d, as clearly indicated 8t likewise form suitable base for jack 85 used to operate the twisting wrench as illustrated in Fig. XII.

With the modified form of down pressure apparatus illustrated in Figs. IX and X, it will be found convenient to use a pit 86 in the floor 2,

as clearly illustrated. at Fig. IX. It is obvious, I

and without the application of heat to the axle.

The saving of time and expense and the resultant commercial utility of the apparatusgare, therefore, obvious.

It will be understood that many changes in detail of construction'may be 'made without de parting from the spirit and scope of theinvemtion, as described in this specification and as defined in the appended claims.

I claim: I u i 1. In apparatus for straightening automobile axles, a frame comprising a track and a rear brace member, axle-gripping vises slidably but lockably mounted 'in the track and adapted to hold an axle above and parallel to the track,

means supported by said track and adapted for exerting pressure vertically on an axle held in the vises and means seated by said rear brace and adapted for exerting lateral pressure on an axle'held in said'vises.

2. In apparatus for straightening automobile axles, a frame including a track, axle-gripping vises slidable but lockable in said track for bold.- ing an axle rigidly above and parallel to the track and means slidable but lockablein said track for exerting vertical pressure on an axle held in said vises, said vises and pressure exerting means being interchangeable as to their respective relative positions along said track, and means associated with said frame for exerting lateral pressure on an axle held in said vises.

3. In apparatus for straightening automobile 5 axles, a frame comprising a track and a brace parallel thereto, axle-gripping vises lockable in but movable along the track, means engaging the I track for exerting pressure vertically on an axle held in the vises and means based against sure on an axle held insaid vises.

4. In apparatus for straightening automobile axles, a. frame comprising a track and a brace parallel thereto, means associated with the track 70 for holding an axle rigidly above and parallel with the track, means associated with the track I at Fig. X. Ribs 83 and and movable along the brace for exerting lateral pre s- 5. In apparatus for straightening automobile axles, a frame comprising a track and a brace parallel thereto, axle-gripping vises lockable in but movable along the track, means engaging the track for exerting pressure vertically on an axle held in the vises and means based against and movable along the brace for exerting lateral pressure on anaxle held in said vises, said lateral pressure means comprising a trough seated uponbut movable along said brace and carrying a plunger adapted to contact with the axle and a ward brace member parallel and in the same horizontal plane with the track, vise members mounted in the track forgripping and rigidly.

holding an axle above and parallel with the track, a second track upon and transverse of said first track and forward brace and means upon said second track for lifting an axle and moving the axle along said second track to position for engagement with said vise members.

7. In apparatus for straightening automobile axles, a frame including a track, axle-gripping vises slidable but lockable in the said track for holding an axle rigidly above and parallel to the track, means slidable but lockable in said track for exerting. selectively upward or downward ported thereby for the reception of the wheels of an automobile, an abutment on said supporting means, to be engaged by a part of the chassis, for the holding of the chassis against movement with relation to the said means, another,

abutment on said means to be engaged by force applying means whereby force may be applied to the chassis, and force applying means cooperating with the second mentioned abutment in the application of force for the purpose of altering the shape of the chassis or its constituent elements.

9. In a mechanism for testing and altering the shape of automobiles, a rigidly constructed frame having runways for the reception of the wheels of an automobile, a rigid support on said frame to hold parts of the automobile against movement in a horizontal direction, another rigid support on said frame serving as an abutment in the application of force to the automobile to alter the shape thereof, and power applying means cooperating with one of said rigid supports where by power may be applied to. a part of the automobile in altering the shape thereof;

10. A structure of the character described, comprising a rigid framework having runways thereon for the reception of an automobile, frame elements extending horizontally transversely of the frame, abutments on the transverse elements extending substantially vertically and adjustable longitudinally of said transverse frame elements, and power means cooperating with the abutments in operating upon an automobile carried on the runways.

MARCELLUS S. MERRILL. 

